Mudslides in Red Lodge

RED LODGE - One year after the Cascade fire burned in the Beartooth Mountains officials are still dealing with its aftermath and this week that means roads covered in several feet of mud. U.S. Forest Service officials shut down West Fork Road near Red Lodge after torrential down pours triggered major landslides in the area earlier this week. "When we get these heavy rain events like we've had the pass few days there's no vegetation on the ground, grass, shrubs, trees, to absorb any of the water," said the U.S. Forest Service's Jeff Stockwell. Rocks, trees and mud buried the road causing dangerous driving conditions and making some areas impassable. "We are rebuilding the road. We're putting in larger culverts and we are putting in the infrastructure to be able to handle something like this and not lose the road," said the U.S. Forest Service's Jeff Gildenhaus. Experts say it happens every 100 years but officials are preparing for more landslides specifically because of last years Cascade Fire. "There's little to soak up the water and keep it from running down hill," said Gildenhaus. "We could expect to see more of this if we get this type of water over the next few years." Construction crews are expected to clear the debris all this week and the road could be opened for recreational use soon after but if or when it happens again officials say it will be back to ground zero of this messy and expensive cleanup.